Dokushu
by Tori Sakana
Summary: As usual, the boys can’t go anywhere without getting into trouble. The stakes are high and time is running out, and weapons won’t do any good. Even when you can’t afford to lose, how do you win against something you can’t even fight?
1. Part 1

Author: Tori Sakana  
  
Summary: As usual, the boys can't go anywhere without getting into trouble. The stakes are high and time is running out, and weapons won't do any good. Even when you can't afford to lose, how do you win against something you can't even fight?  
  
Warnings: bad language (Bad monk!), angst (in later parts)  
  
Time frame: doesn't fit anywhere particular in the storyline.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Gensomaden Saiyuki or any of its characters or plot or anything.  
  
"blah" = words  
  
blah = thoughts  
  
Now, on to the fic!  
  
  
  
*************  
  
Dokushu  
  
*************  
  
Four men walk into a bar.  
  
Beer...sweet beer... The redhead is practically drooling.  
  
This certainly looks like a cozy inn. smiles the brunette.  
  
..... thinks the gold-eyed kid.  
  
One more word out of them, and they're dead meat. growls the blond.  
  
The Sanzo party has arrived.  
  
Sanzo and Hakkai claim a table in the corner and two bottles of red wine.  
  
"Hey, Sanzo, I'm hungry!" whines Goku.  
  
"Shut up, stupid ape, you just ate an hour ago!"  
  
"Don't call me that, you perverted kappa! And I'm hungry again!"  
  
"Idiot."  
  
"Scarboy."  
  
"SHUT UP!" The Paper Fan appears out of nowhere...  
  
"Damn it," mutters Gojyo. "Stuck in a corner with this idiot."  
  
He glares across the room at Sanzo and Hakkai. They had banished Gojyo and Goku to a tiny table in the corner of the room, and threatened the pair with immediate dismemberment if they made one more obnoxious sound. Gojyo had grumbled, but since he had claimed possession of one of the bottles of wine he wasn't that unhappy.  
  
Still, he was stuck with the kid...  
  
"Hey, Gojyo, I'm hungry!" whines Goku.  
  
"I thought I told you to shut up."  
  
"But--"  
  
"Shut it, dumbass ape! The waiter took our order, our food'll be out soon! Can't you wait thirty seconds for food, animal?" Gojyo growls.  
  
Goku pouts but shuts up, his wide gold eyes scanning the room for something interesting to look at.  
  
Gojyo sighs. It's gonna be a long dinner. He stares absentmindedly at the wine bottle when suddenly an idea strikes.  
  
"Oi, ape!"  
  
"Don't call me ape!"  
  
"Would you prefer stupid ape?"  
  
"Shut up, pervert kappa!"  
  
"You shut up, dumbass. I've got an idea."  
  
Goku stares at him quizzically while Gojyo's grin widens.  
  
"I'm gonna introduce you to a little friend of mine called alcohol."  
  
(A/N: All right, hands up all those who think getting Goku drunk is a very bad idea. I thought so - TS)  
  
"Al-co-hol?" Goku wonders aloud.  
  
"Yeah, beer, wine, liquor? Damn, you really do know nothing, ape."  
  
"Shut up! Anyway Gojyo, I thought I was too young to drink."  
  
"Naw, 's all right. After all, you're like 500 years old, right?"  
  
"But Gojyo..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm hungry!"  
  
Across the room, Hakkai watches worriedly.  
  
"Sanzo, are you sure this is a good idea?"  
  
The worldly monk shrugs. "Why not."  
  
"But Goku..."  
  
"Isn't a child. Leave them alone."  
  
"Okay..."  
  
Hakkai watches Gojyo pour the drinks, filling Goku's cup almost to the brim with wine almost as red as his hair.  
  
Suddenly, he sits up.  
  
"Sanzo, that smell..."  
  
"Youki. And it isn't yours."  
  
"Where's it coming from?"  
  
"I don't know. It's old, a few days at least."  
  
"Perhaps we should warn Gojyo and Goku."  
  
Gojyo deposits the glass in front of his younger companion with a flourish.  
  
"The drink of the gods! You better appreciate this, ape, I was looking forward to that whole bottle."  
  
Goku picks up the red liquid suspiciously. He sniffs. "Smells funny."  
  
"That's the alcohol, moron. Drink it."  
  
Eyeing Gojyo warily, Goku takes a tiny sip. "It's delicious!" He downs the rest of the glass in one gulp.  
  
Gojyo's eyes are saucers. How'd he drink all that wine at once? He's never had it before... The ape must have a head for alcohol to rival his own.  
  
"Oi, Gojyo!" Hakkai calls from the other table.  
  
"Wha?" Gojyo growls.  
  
"Come here, please!"  
  
"Oh, all right." Make up your minds!  
  
Gojyo picks up his glass and takes it over to Sanzo and Hakkai's table. Goku greedily grabs the bottle and refills his cup, downing it again in one gulp.  
  
Gojyo just shakes his head in admiration. I hope he leaves some for me, the stupid ape.  
  
"Gojyo, do you smell anything?"  
  
Suddenly he notices the lingering aura. "Youki. Is it dangerous?"  
  
"Most likely," answers Sanzo.  
  
"So just be careful," warns Hakkai.  
  
"I will. We won't relax too much." Gojyo winks at Hakkai. "But at least the wine is good."  
  
He gestures to his own table, where Goku is now down to the bottom quarter of the bottle.  
  
Hakkai chuckles appreciatively. "I pity the headache Goku's going to have in the morning."  
  
Sanzo just grunts as the ape finishes off the last of the bottle and sits back, the red flush of alcohol on his cheeks.  
  
Damn ape! He did drink it all! Gojyo curses silently. Oh well, I'll just borrow Sanzo's since he seems to have forgiven me for now...  
  
As he raises the glass to his lips, it suddenly shatters in pieces, spraying the wine over the table. At almost the same time, Hakkai and Sanzo's glasses as well as their nearly full bottle also explode.  
  
"What the--"  
  
"Goku!!"  
  
The boy stands in front of their table with his Nyoibo extended. Red wine drips off the end of the weapon.  
  
"What'd you do that for? Dumbass ape!!" Gojyo shouts in anger.  
  
"Don't drink the wine," Goku gasps out. Gojyo suddenly notices that the boy is flushed and sweating, and panting like he's just run a marathon.  
  
What the hell? That doesn't seem right, even for the amount he drank... Gojyo's eyes flick back to the empty bottle on the other table, estimating how much had been in there.  
  
A silence falls over the table as the tension rises.  
  
"Why not?" asks Sanzo with an edge in his voice.  
  
Gold eyes meet violet steadily as Goku answers.  
  
"It's poisoned."  
  
********************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Mean cliffhanger, ne? Muwahahaha! Don't worry this fic will most definitely be finished. I'm gonna update every day or two, I promise…I know this chapter was short, but it's better to be short and frequent than long and far between!  
  
So, did you like it? Or hate it? Or what? Please review! Pretty please?  
  
Thanks a bunch to my beta, ReySolo (go read her fics). Yay Rey-chan!  
  
Random other notes: I didn't use the normal Japanese insults like baka or saru, as you probably noticed. I did this for two reasons. One is that not every reader speaks Japanese, even for little phrases. Two is I would probably assume the rest of you speak more than you do, and end up confusing you guys. To avoid using too much, I opted for too little. Gomen nasai!  
  
Japanese words I did use:  
  
Youki = demonic or evil aura  
  
That's about it for now...so R/R, please! 


	2. Part 2

See, told you I'd update! :)  
  
Bye bye humor! Angst takes over from here on in...  
  
And the story switches from present to past tense, since it just seems to work better this way. Gomen!  
  
**************  
  
Dokushu Part 2  
  
**************  
  
Sanzo sat back in disgust. "Dumbass. You're drunk, not dying."  
  
Leave it to Goku to be a violent drunk. Thought Gojyo wryly. Still, he couldn't shake his uneasiness.  
  
"Goku, are you all right?" Hakkai stood as Goku swayed and fell to one knee.  
  
"It's...nothing." Goku waved him away but leaned on his Nyoibo to stay upright.  
  
Wait a minute... Gojyo realized what was bothering him. Goku knows what alcohol smells like, we drink all the time around him...so why would he say...  
  
"Sanzo...did any of you drink the wine?" Goku asked earnestly. His insistence was beginning to unnerve Sanzo.  
  
"No."  
  
Goku smiled wanly and shut his eyes. "Good. Everyone's all right."  
  
Then he collapsed to the ground senseless.  
  
"Goku!" shouted Hakkai, out of his chair and next to Goku before anyone could even take a breath. "GOKU!!"  
  
Gojyo's eyes were glued to the empty bottle on the other table.  
  
"Oi, hang in there!" Sanzo knelt beside Hakkai to shake Goku's limp form.  
  
Gojyo couldn't seem to look away from the empty bottle. 'Smells funny'...'That's the alcohol, moron. Drink it'...'Smells funny'...'Drink it...'  
  
"Something's wrong, Sanzo. This isn't just alcohol...."  
  
Goku was right...the wine...  
  
The question Sanzo asked next snapped Gojyo out of his immobility.  
  
"Will he live?"  
  
Hakkai drew a shaking breath. "I...I don't know."  
  
Gojyo shoved back his chair and raced around the table.  
  
At his feet, Hakkai sat on the floor cradling Goku. The youkai child was breathing shallowly, with that now-sinister flush still coloring his cheeks. Sanzo knelt besides them, a rare flicker of concern showing on his features.  
  
"What do you mean, you don't know?! What's wrong with him?" Gojyo shouted, getting angry at Hakkai for lack of a better target.  
  
Hakkai looked up at him with those sad green eyes and Gojyo felt his anger fade.  
  
"He's unconscious and he has a fever." Hakkai sighed. "He only drank it a few minutes ago. Something that acts that fast..."  
  
"Might kill him before we can cure him." Sanzo finished darkly. "You think it was poison?"  
  
After a moment, Hakkai nodded.  
  
Shit. cursed Gojyo silently.  
  
"It looks like an ordinary illness, but it came on far too quickly."  
  
"If it looks like an ordinary illness, can you treat it that way?" asked Sanzo.  
  
"Perhaps. An antidote would be easier, if only we knew what it was."  
  
"Fine." Sanzo stood. "Hakkai, take Goku up to the room and see what you can do. Gojyo, you and I will search for the bastard who did this."  
  
From the look in Gojyo's eyes and the way Sanzo was gripping his gun, Hakkai almost felt sorry for their enemy.  
  
The obviously fake smile fell back into place, and Hakkai gently lifted his young companion. Giving his friends what he hoped was a reassuring glance, he made his way up the stairs to the room the four were sharing.  
  
"Oi, Gojyo." Sanzo wasn't looking in the kappa's direction. Gojyo followed his gaze to the empty wine bottle.  
  
"Did you..." He left the question unfinished.  
  
"No. The ape drank it all."  
  
Sanzo nodded, no reaction showing on his face. Gojyo himself was torn. All of it...the stupid ape drank it all. He wondered whether Sanzo was relieved Gojyo was unhurt or horrified that it meant Goku had probably downed enough poison to kill two people. Not that it mattered. Gojyo knew which he felt.  
  
"Gojyo, you search outside. I'll search inside. If you catch the bastard, at least find out about the antidote before you kill him."  
  
Gojyo nodded and the two split up to search.  
  
I hope I get him first, snarled Gojyo to himself. They'll never find all the pieces.  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
In the privacy of their room, Hakkai allowed his smile to fade as he watched Goku sleep.  
  
He'd done this before, often in fact. It had become a regular habit, when he couldn't sleep, to watch his young friend snore. He suspected Gojyo and Sanzo did as well. The three adults were often plagued with nightmares, and on cold rainy nights there was nothing to dull the pain. So when he was tormented by visions of Kanan or the deaths of a thousand youkai, he would sit awake and watch Goku.  
  
The monkey demon would be sprawled out over the entire bed and probably half of Gojyo's as well, snoring with his mouth wide open. But his face was so peaceful, completely innocent - Hakkai would always notice Goku's youth more when he was sleeping. A child's world empty of worry.  
  
And so when he couldn't sleep he would sit and watch Goku, vicariously sharing in his blissful oblivion. Occasionally, he had woken to find Sanzo or Gojyo sitting up, smoking a cigarette and watching the young monkey. Hakkai gave a little smile when he wondered what Goku would think of that.  
  
I think he'd be confused. He's never understood why Sanzo can't sleep on rainy nights. But I bet he'd be happy he could help, even if he didn't understand why. So innocent.  
  
Perhaps that was why Hakkai now felt like crying.  
  
Goku was asleep, but not his usual noisy slumber. He was still, hands at his sides, mouth shut, breathing evenly but shallowly. No outflung arms or half-eaten pillow. But most painful of all was the look on his face.  
  
The poison was starting to work.  
  
Goku's brow creased with anxiety, and sweat poured from his face. Occasionally he would mumble incoherently, but it was growing clearer and clearer as time went on. Goku was getting delirious, and it was obvious his dreams were not pleasant ones.  
  
Hakkai smoothed the boy's hair on his forehead, wincing at the heat of his skin. The fever hasn't broken. He had already tried healing him with his youjutsu, spending his own energy to the limit, but it had done no good. Now, all it seemed Hakkai could do was watch and wait.  
  
Suddenly, Hakkai leapt from his seat and slammed his forearm against the far wall of the room. Resting his forehead against his arm, he tried to breathe steadily to regain his calm. Just waiting, waiting for what? For Sanzo and Gojyo to return with our enemy? For Goku to miraculously recover on his own? For what?!  
  
Never had he felt this helpless. He had sat by many bedsides in the years he had spent with Gojyo and the others. His healing ability was one reason, his compassion and natural protectiveness of his friends another, but somehow he always ended playing the nurse when one of his comrades was injured. But always before, he had been able to heal the wounds first. Before, he had always been waiting for his friend to wake up and regain their strength.  
  
He had always been certain before.  
  
But Goku's illness wasn't responding. There was nothing Hakkai could do. And that uselessness cut almost as deep as the uncertainty.  
  
I couldn't protect him, I couldn't heal him, I can't help him...this is as much my fault as the poison's. I've been looking after Goku and they trust me to take care of him, but I let him down...I let them all down...  
  
But his own pain was driven from his mind when he heard Goku cry out.  
  
He ran back to the bed. Goku was convulsing in pain, clutching his stomach. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut and his teeth clenched, the occasional gasp or cry escaping from his lips.  
  
Shit!! Hakkai panicked. It's starting, the poison's flooded his system-- He reached out his hands to Goku and tried to summon the green healing energy, but none would come. He had nothing left. He sank to his knees, able to do nothing but listen to Goku's cries.  
  
And then the door finally opened.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
TBC  
  
A/N: Tee hee! Told you I'd update soon…^_^  
  
My poor Goku! I'm abusing my baby…*sniff sniff*…Gomen Goku-chan!  
  
Mmmm, cliffhangers….the writer's best friend and reader's worst enemy. Sorry peeps, but I love 'em! But I won't leave ya hanging too long, I promise!  
  
Um, I start using youkai and demon interchangeabaly from here, cuz I could never remember which I was using, so oops… Youkai=demon, youjutsu=demonic power, in Hakkai's case that glowy healing light ^_^  
  
BTW, the title "Dokushu" is Japanese for "poisoned wine." Couldn't tell you before cuz it'd give the game away.  
  
So…good? Bad? I'm evil for hurting lil Goku? Tell me! Review pleeeease! Thanks to everybody who reviewed the first part, you guys rock!! 


	3. Part 3

Wow! I got more reviews...Thanks a bunch y'all!  
  
Coming up: Sap. Lots. A little angst thrown in...  
  
I personally am of the opinion that the Saiyuki guys all care about each other but are too pig-headed to admit it (*coughcoughSanzocoughcough*). But I think there are times when even they let down their emotional barriers, at least a little bit...  
  
  
  
**************  
  
Dokushu Part 3  
  
**************  
  
  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Gojyo was returning from his fruitless hunt for their unknown enemy when he heard the noise down the hall. He sprinted the rest of the way to the room, flung open the door and practically leapt inside.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
His mouth fell open at the scene in front of him. Hakkai kneeling beside the bed, staring at the floor in a daze, while Goku was curled up moaning in pain.  
  
"Hakkai!"  
  
No response.  
  
"Hakkai!! Answer me!" Gojyo shook his friend's shoulders. "Snap out of it!"  
  
Hakkai stood, but didn't even turn to look at Gojyo. "I can't help him."  
  
"What?!" Gojyo stared at him in disbelief. Can't help? But why? Does that mean Goku'll...  
  
"He's beyond anything I can do." Hakkai turned and pushed past him, walking to stare out the window at the dark night.  
  
No...that can't be... Gojyo stared at Hakkai's back. It can't be true... He felt his throat tighten as Goku cried out again in pain. Stretching out a trembling hand, he touched the boy's thick brown hair.  
  
Soft...but he's so hot, he's burning up. Gojyo suddenly realized that Hakkai was telling the truth, that this was not something that could be treated like an ordinary wound. But..but...I don't...he can't die on me, not like this...  
  
Sitting down heavily on the edge of the bed, Gojyo put his head in his hands. He could hear Goku just behind him, struggling to draw breath. How could I let this happen to you? I should never have given you that wine...it should've been me.  
  
Almost of its own accord, his hand strayed back to Goku's head and began to stroke the hair out of the boy's eyes. After a few minutes, Goku sighed and settled down. The pain in his breathing was gone.  
  
Hakkai heard the change and spun around. Goku was sleeping again, although not peacefully. The convulsions had stopped, the pain was fading. He ran to Gojyo side and felt Goku's forehead.  
  
"How did you do that? He's sleeping normally again." Hakkai asked Gojyo, too amazed to be polite.  
  
"I don't know...I just touched his head, that's all." He reached out again, self-consciously this time after being caught making such a kind gesture, and stroked the boy's face comfortingly. Goku sighed and murmured something in his sleep, but a tiny smile appeared on his face.  
  
A bigger one appeared on Hakkai's. "My my, it seems Goku seems to like you more when he's unconscious."  
  
"Hey! What's that supposed to--"  
  
"Calm down, Gojyo. I just meant that because he's unconscious, he shows feelings he normally hides."  
  
Normally hides? So does Goku really...well... Confused, he drew his hand back.  
  
Goku murmured again, clearly this time. "Gojyo...niichan..."  
  
*****************************  
  
"N-niichan?" Gojyo sputtered in shock. "Big brother?"  
  
Hakkai was laughing behind his hand.  
  
"But - what - I - "  
  
"My, my, I never knew you two were that close."  
  
"Shut up!" Gojyo felt unbelievably embarrassed. Big brother? Does he really think of me like that?  
  
"Well, the two of you do act like brothers, fighting all the time." Hakkai pointed out with impeccable logic. "And you do look out for him."  
  
"No, I don't." Gojyo half-heartedly protested. But I really do keep an eye on him in fights...  
  
Goku added his two cents worth by murmuring "niichan" again. Hakkai snickered. Gojyo snarled at him and stomped off to a nearby chair to smoke a cigarette.  
  
The brunette took over stroking the boy's hair soothingly, while Gojyo was consumed by his thoughts. Little brother...he really does act like that sometimes...idiot monkey.  
  
Another murmur from Goku interrupted his reverie, but this time it was different. All Gojyo could catch were the words "Sanzo" and "tousan".  
  
"WHAT!" Gojyo sat up in shock. "Did he just say--"  
  
He and Hakkai exchanged a look. If the situation hadn't been so serious, they would have burst out laughing. As it was, Gojyo started to smirk while Hakkai showed his usual smile.  
  
Man, I wish Sanzo could hear that, he'd freak out! Probably shoot me or the ape or both. Gojyo allowed his humor to fade as he thought over what Goku had said. The ape thinks of Sanzo as his father? I knew he was starved for affection, but it seems a little extreme...  
  
Hakkai appeared to have the same doubts about the situation. "Say, Gojyo, why do you suppose he associates Sanzo with his father?"  
  
"Dunno. The ape doesn't have any family does he?"  
  
"No. Goku told me once that he can't remember anything before he was imprisoned. Just 500 years of stone walls, until Sanzo came."  
  
Until Sanzo came...  
  
"But all that corrupt monk ever does is hit him!"  
  
"Goku's never had anyone even remotely care about him, so even Sanzo's coldness is very important to him." Hakkai looked down at the sleeping boy sadly. "He must be very lonely."  
  
Gojyo sat in silence. Lonely...the ape? Impossible...but we're his 'family', and we aren't exactly kind to him...  
  
Hakkai continued stroking Goku's hair thoughtfully. I never really thought about it before, but Goku is a child. So we're not just letting him tag along on a journey, we're actually raising him...  
  
"Hakkai...jisan..."  
  
Uncle Hakkai? Good thing Gojyo didn't hear that one, he'd never let me hear the end of it.  
  
But as Goku whimpered softly in pain and Hakkai shushed him gently and tried to soothe him back into gentler dreams, he made a silent promise. Goku, If you survive this, I'm going to make sure you know we care about you, even if I have to hold Sanzo's gun to his head to make him do it.  
  
Then a sudden commotion in the hall brought the two adults to their feet. Gojyo pulled his shakujou out and stood blocking in the doorway to the room. Hakkai stood over Goku protectively.  
  
The door burst open, and a disheveled, miserable wretch of a human stumbled into the room and fell to his knees, followed immediately by Sanzo's gun and then the High Priest himself.  
  
Without taking his violet eyes off his captive, Sanzo announced, "I caught him."  
  
**************************************************************  
  
  
  
Notes: Now that the sap's out of my system…what did you think? Too much, too little? Are they OOC? I tried my best…*shrug*  
  
R/R, please! Lemme know what you think!  
  
Um, translations: niichan=big brother, tousan=father, jisan=uncle, but I tried to make that clear in the story itself…  
  
Sorry for abusing my boys! Can you tell I used to break my toys when I was little? ^_^  
  
A lil bit of action and some angst coming up in the next part!  
  
Anyway, R/R, tell me if you liked it, hated it, whatever! Ja ne, and thanks a bunch to everyone who's reviewed so far! Love y'all! 


	4. Part 4

Reviews! Gee, thanks everybody! This is so neat, people actually like this story...  
  
Coming up: Action! Sanzo's found the poisoner, now what to do with him?  
  
**************  
  
Dokushu Part 4  
  
**************  
  
  
  
"Who the hell are you?" snarled Gojyo. He and Hakkai had moved into the living room of their suite with Sanzo and the prisoner, tacitly agreeing to keep the danger far from their injured companion.  
  
The man cowered but stared up at them in an attempt at defiance.  
  
"He's the innkeeper. I found him hiding in the kitchen." Sanzo looked disgusted. "Cowering behind the wine casks."  
  
"I wasn't! I'm not frightened of any filthy youkai!" The man declared.  
  
"Oh, really?" Gojyo put the crescent end of his shakujou against his throat, pressing his chin up with the razor-edged blade. The man whimpered and tried to pull away, but Sanzo's gun at the back of his head held him in place. "You should be afraid of us. We're dangerous."  
  
The innkeeper gulped. "So y-you are youkai after all?"  
  
"Of course, idiot! What did you think?" The shakujou pressed harder and the man's eyes widened in fear.  
  
"Wait, Gojyo." Hakkai stepped around him to see more clearly. "Do you know who we are?"  
  
Terrified, the man shook his head.  
  
"Ch. Pathetic." Sanzo growled.  
  
"So why did you attack us if you didn't know who we are? Who put you up to this?" Hakkai prodded gently. He's scared out of his wits by Gojyo and Sanzo, but we need to get information out of him.  
  
"A-a man. Dark-haired, glasses. Came to me and told me that a group of powerful demons would be coming through in a few days. Said they were evil and had killed a lot of people." The man looked at the floor and a shadow passed over his face. His voice grew braver. "He said they were so powerful, you couldn't attack them directly. So he gave me a poison to put in the wine. A special poison that would kill demons but leave humans alone. I agreed to do it."  
  
Hakkai gasped and Gojyo blanched. This man had poisoned all the wine he served for a few days, just to kill a group of demons he had never heard of? How many youkai could have stopped at his inn for a rest and never left? And if it was specially designed for demons, did that mean Goku would....?  
  
Sanzo cocked his gun and Gojyo tightened his grip on his blade.  
  
"Wait!" Hakkai stopped them again. "What was this poison supposed to do? Is there an antidote?"  
  
"I-I don't know. He said that it wouldn't have any symptoms for a few hours, that the youkai would just go to sleep feeling a little strange but would get sick overnight and never wake up."  
  
Gojyo cursed. That was exactly what was happening to Goku, only faster.  
  
"Is there an antidote?"  
  
The man gave the barest shake of his head.  
  
"SHIT!" Gojyo spun away and slammed the blunt end of the shakujou into the wall. "You IDIOT!"  
  
Hakkai's hands started to glow, but he didn't seem to notice. Sanzo's trigger finger was itching so badly he knew he'd need to shoot something or he'd go crazy.  
  
The man watched their reactions confusedly. "But, you're all right, aren't you? None of you look ill, so obviously you didn't drink the wine...so why are you all so-"  
  
He didn't get a chance to finish. Leaving the shakujou imbedded in the wall, Gojyo grabbed the man by the collar and hauled him to his feet.  
  
"Hakkai," he hissed, "show him."  
  
Obediently, Hakkai opened the door to the bedroom and Gojyo threw the man inside.  
  
"Look! Take a good look at him! He's the one who drank the wine, not us!"  
  
Goku chose that moment to give a particularly heart-rending cry.  
  
Gojyo stormed through the door, picked the man up off the floor and forced him to look at Goku. The boy looked horrible, worse than only a few moments before. Sweat soaked his hair and the pillow, and his face was pale beneath the flush of fever. Stripped of his habitual layers of shirts and nestled among the blankets, Goku looked so young and small in the large bed. Gojyo felt his own heart wrench at the sight.  
  
Sanzo was so shocked that he allowed it to show on his face. "Hakkai...how is he?"  
  
"Worse and worse. His fever's even higher, and he's in pain."  
  
"How long?"  
  
"If we're lucky, he might last the night." Hakkai met Sanzo's eyes steadily, but his voice shook. "No more than that."  
  
Sanzo cursed and clenched his fist in anger.  
  
But his captive surprised them all by sinking to his knees, a look of horror on his face. "He...I...he didn't...the poison..."  
  
Hakkai nodded in confirmation.  
  
"But...I didn't expect...he's only a boy..."  
  
"Of course, you idiot! Youkai have children too, or didn't you know that?" Gojyo was practically shaking with anger. He hauled the man back to his feet and slammed him against the wall. "You poisoned my little brother, you bastard! You've got ten seconds to give me a good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now!"  
  
Hakkai and Sanzo gaped at Gojyo's outburst. Gojyo himself didn't seem to notice his slip of the tongue. His hands closed around the innkeeper's throat, but the man didn't even look at him. His eyes were still locked on Goku's face, with a horror and sadness that made even Gojyo pause. A soft whisper, barely above the sound of breathing, passed his lips.  
  
"I had...a son...his age."  
  
"What?" Gojyo loosened his grip slightly.  
  
"I had a son his age. Same color hair. His name was Sharyo." Tears spilled down his cheeks, but his eyes never left Goku. "He was k- killed, when the youkai attacked. Along with my wife."  
  
He lifted his head and stared Gojyo straight in the eye. "I hate the demons for what they did to my son."  
  
"And that's why you decided to try to kill three innocent youkai? You think that gives you the right to take your revenge on anyone who passes by? On another child, you bastard?"  
  
Gojyo tightened his hands around the man's throat, fully intending to kill him then and there.  
  
"Please...don't kill him, Gojyo." A sad whisper from behind him.  
  
Hakkai was staring at the floor, but Gojyo got the eerie feeling it wasn't this room that Hakkai was seeing. "Please don't kill him."  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
Notes: Sorry, no antidote...I'm not letting the boys off that easy. *evil grin*  
  
R/R please! Like the new part? Hate it? Tell me! Think the innkeeper is too nice/ too mean? Still trying to keep in the boys in character, but they persist in showing too much emotion…  
  
Next part: more angst, more sap! And maybe Goku'll get some lines at last!  
  
Can't guarantee update schedules due to finals, but I won't leave you hanging too long! Ja ne! 


	5. Part 5

Thanks sooo much to everyone who reviewed so far! So I decided that instead of studying physics, I would update.  
  
Warnings: angst (sorry Hakkai!), sap, bad language (Sanzo needs to learn better manners)  
  
**************  
  
Dokushu Part 5  
  
**************  
  
  
  
"Gojyo, don't kill him."  
  
"What? Why the hell not? He deserves to die!"  
  
Hakkai's eyes were empty. "Who doesn't?"  
  
"What?! Snap out of it, Hakkai! You're not making sense!"  
  
"I know what I'm saying, Gojyo." Sadness weighed down his voice and suddenly Hakkai sounded so very tired. "I'm not asking anything for that man that was not given to me."  
  
The memories flooded back. Hakkai, no, he was Gonou then, confessing his murder of a thousand demons to Gojyo all those years ago. He was a cold-blooded killer who had obliterated two entire clans of demons. A man tormented by guilt until he turned himself in and found redemption and a new identity as Cho Hakkai. And became Gojyo's best friend.  
  
He had killed a thousand innocents in revenge for the death of his beloved, Kanan.  
  
But that was different!...Oh really? How so? You gave him another chance, so why not this man?...But Goku...Do you really think he would want you to kill him? Gojyo couldn't sort out the thoughts in his head, couldn't find the calm to make a decision.  
  
"Sanzo..." Gojyo appealed to the monk.  
  
"Do as you like." Sanzo lowered his gun and turned away.  
  
Gojyo's hands shook around the man's throat. Can I really do this? Can I kill this man for doing no more, less even, than Hakkai?  
  
Gojyo let go.  
  
The man gasped and clutched his throat. When he realized that none of the three were looking at him, he bolted for the door. They let him leave without a second glance.  
  
"Thank you, Gojyo." Hakkai bowed, keeping his sad eyes on the floor.  
  
Gojyo didn't turn to look at him. "You owe me one, Hakkai." Then he strode angrily from the room and yanked the door open.  
  
Another whisper from Hakkai stopped him again. "Don't be too late." Too late to see Goku...  
  
Gojyo still didn't look at him. "I'll be back in time." Then he left and slammed the door behind him.  
  
Hakkai winced at the sound. "I guess he's mad at me."  
  
"No. He's angry with himself." Sanzo snorted in disgust. "The idiot just needs to blow off some steam."  
  
"Don't we all." There was a restrained violence in Hakkai's voice, and Sanzo looked at him in surprise.  
  
A moment later the smile slipped back into place. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound angry. I'm just a little frustrated, that's all."  
  
"About Goku." The monk stated flatly.  
  
"Yes. It...hurts. That there's nothing I can do." Hakkai put a hand to his forehead. "I've tried everything, Sanzo. Everything."  
  
The monk gave him an appraising look. "You're exhausted. Get some sleep."  
  
"But, Sanzo-"  
  
"You said yourself there's nothing you can do. I don't need two injured people. So shut up and go to sleep."  
  
"But what if he..." Hakkai trailed off, unable to say it aloud.  
  
"I'll watch him. I'll wake you up if anything happens."  
  
Hakkai nodded, suddenly feeling his weariness for the first time. He stumbled to one of the other beds and fell into it, and despite his anxiety was asleep in minutes.  
  
Sanzo watched until he was certain Hakkai was sleeping, then he took the empty seat at Goku's bedside. He watched the youngster murmur confusedly in his sleep.  
  
He's dreaming. Probably about food.  
  
It was almost relaxing, watching the gentle rise and fall of the boy's chest. Like those other nights he had watched...He could almost believe that the boy was just sleeping, and would wake at any minute to demand breakfast.  
  
Sanzo suddenly realized that Goku's forehead was soaked with sweat. He reached out to feel the boy's forehead and his fingers brushed against the golden diadem of his youryoku limiter. With a muffled curse, he yanked his hand back. The shining metal of the limiter was so hot it nearly burned his fingers.  
  
Damn. His fever's sky-high.  
  
Grumbling about the body temperature of idiotic apes, Sanzo retrieved a damp cloth from a bowl Hakkai had left by the bedside and draped it over Goku's forehead. He was disturbed to see a puff of steam when it touched the limiter.  
  
He was even more surprised to see Goku's eyes open.  
  
"Goku! You're awake?"  
  
Sanzo could see the fever burning him from the inside - the boy's eyes were vague and empty, confused with fever. Goku tried to focus on the figure beside him, and failed. His eyes stared through Sanzo eerily.  
  
"S...Sanzo?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"For what, dumbass?" The insult slipped out automatically before he could stop it, even though he doubted Goku was in any condition to understand his teasing.  
  
"I'm such an idiot. I'm always in the way."  
  
"Stop talking nonsense. Go back to sleep." Sanzo was growing increasingly worried about the ape's mental state. Those eyes did not look entirely rational. He's completely incapable of coherent thought. He's lost in his fever dreams.  
  
"Are you...mad at me?"  
  
Something in Goku's voice made Sanzo pause. He just looked so sad and lonely, unable to even see the monk clearly but wanting...something, some signal or emotion or reassurance. And wanting it desperately.  
  
"Do you...hate me?"  
  
A caustic remark rose to Sanzo's lips and died there. He had certainly given the idiot enough reasons over the years to believe he hated him, Goku's total lack of brain activity notwithstanding. At any other time, Sanzo would have replied with a resounding yes. But a voice at the back of his mind that sounded annoyingly like Hakkai stopped him. Don't you dare lie to him. For all you know, this may be the last time you ever talk to him.  
  
Sanzo sighed in exasperation, but gave in to the annoying voice. Grudgingly, he admitted, "No. I don't hate you. Now shut up with your nonsense and go to sleep."  
  
Goku's face lit up. "You mean it?"  
  
"Yes. Now shut it."  
  
Goku closed his eyes. "Thank you..." he murmured. Then he sighed and his head slipped to the side.  
  
"Goku!!"  
  
"It's all right. He's only sleeping."  
  
Sanzo spun around to find Hakkai standing behind him, smiling.  
  
"Asshole, were you listening?"  
  
"Now, now, don't worry, Sanzo. Your secret it safe with me."  
  
"You're dead meat."  
  
"I know." Hakkai grinned at him.  
  
Sanzo snarled but turned back to Goku, ignoring Hakkai for the time being. The two of them watched Goku sleep in silence. Watching the boy's face, Sanzo saw his peaceful dreams give way to nightmares. Goku started shuddering in his sleep, and gasping for breath. Sanzo clenched his fists but could do nothing.  
  
"It helps if you touch him."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Hakkai's smile was sad. "If you put your hand on his head or his hair, he calms down. Gojyo found that out."  
  
Sanzo raised an eyebrow. "Why?"  
  
"I don't know. Maybe it's because he needs to know there's someone here. You know how dependent he is on company, how he gets lonely and upset if you leave him alone. Right now, he needs to reminded that we're here." Hakkai answered with a shrug.  
  
Sighing with exasperation (a common occurrence when Goku was involved), Sanzo resigned himself to the inevitable. Well, at least it will shut the ape up for a while. Besides, it's annoying me to see him twitching like that. That irritating Hakkai-voiced part of his brain replied again, Yeah right, idiot. You're worried about him, admit it! C'mon it's not like Gojyo and Hakkai don't already know you care what happens to Goku, so why keep-  
  
With a growl Sanzo mentally punched the annoying voice and locked it back in his mind where he couldn't hear it. Great, now I'm getting into fights with myself. I'll be as crazy as the ape next.  
  
Still, once he had assured that Hakkai had retreated to the opposite side of the room, he reached out tentatively and barely touched the side of Goku's face. The boy's shuddering slowed, then stopped as Sanzo brushed his hair gently. Soon he was sleeping soundly again, and Sanzo's fingers were buried in Goku's soft brown hair.  
  
What do you know, Hakkai was right. The little idiot really does like to be petted. Amazing, he really is an animal. When he had first met Gojyo and Hakkai, the former had referred to Goku as his 'pet.' They always called him a monkey, but he really acted more like a puppy. Loyal, happy, overly energetic, and always willing to come back even when kicked. Sanzo growled at the thought. If he had gone away when we kicked him, it would've been better for his health. And my nerves. But he had the nagging feeling that it would've been worse, not better, for all of them.  
  
Goku interrupted his thoughts by sighing contentedly. Then reaching up and wrapping his arms around Sanzo's hand, hugging it like a stuffed animal. Surprised, Sanzo tried to pull his hand back. Goku hung on with a death grip. Sanzo pulled harder. Didn't budge an inch. Growling, he reached for his fan, intending to thwack the ape hard to make him let go. But Goku looked so comfortable that Sanzo just sighed and moved into a less awkward position. I'll get you for this when you wake up, idiot.  
  
With his arm twisted backwards in Goku's grip, Sanzo tried to maneuver a cigarette and a lighter with one hand. After a few minutes, he gave up in frustration and cursed. I'm reeeally gonna get you for this.  
  
Hakkai smiled at them from his seat on the other bed, then went back to staring out the window. He noticed that while he had been asleep the weather had changed.  
  
A cold rain was now falling.  
  
****************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Notes: I had no idea how hard it was to write Sanzo until I tried this scene...He seems determined to be OOC! I did my best, but apologies if he's a little too nice.  
  
R/R, please! Do you think I'm doing a good job? Do you think I'm butchering their characters? Do you want me to hurry it up and end it? (Tough luck!) Still, I would like input on whether their being in character, since it's so hard to find that balance of callousness and caring that the series portrays.  
  
Coming up: um...wait a sec, where did Gojyo wander off to? He disappeared earlier...Crap, I lost him! *author runs off to find out where in the heck Gojyo went*  
  
I hate it when my characters wander away…  
  
Next part: Gojyo!  
  
Ja ne! 


	6. Part 6

Hmm...last time, I decided to update instead of studying quarks. Quarks appeared on my physics final. The fanfic gods hate me.  
  
(I second sf's declaration that writing fic is more important than exams. Amen!)  
  
Stuff I forgot to tell you: The guy with glasses who gave the innkeeper the poison is in fact supposed to be Nii. Thanks for reminding me. Oh, and sorry, no shounen ai...feel free to read stuff into it if you want, but nothing direct.  
  
This part is really short, so I'm going to update again tonight. I wrote this just because I realized Gojyo wandered off in the middle of the last part...I had to chase him down to figure out where he went. *sniffle* Why do my characters run away from me?  
  
It's not that important, just minor Gojyo angst. Eh.  
  
**************  
  
Dokushu Part 6  
  
**************  
  
Gojyo stomped through the town, moving faster than the average person could run, but without direction. He just wanted to get out, get away, and to lose the anger he could still feel boiling within him.  
  
Why did I lose it like that? I nearly killed a man...not a youkai, not a monster, but a harmless human who had just lost his family...I can't believe it.  
  
But he also couldn't believe he had managed to pull back. I need to thank Hakkai for stopping me. And I think he was right that Goku wouldn't have wanted that...  
  
Wouldn't have wanted...Gojyo realized he was talking as if Goku were already dead. But he wasn't, he wasn't going to die either, not if Gojyo had anything to do with it.  
  
The ape may be an idiot, but he doesn't deserve to die like this. Not in a stupid ambush set by some vigilante who didn't even know who he was. It isn't right, not for someone who fights like Goku does.  
  
He remembered Goku's determination to grow stronger every time he came close to losing a battle. But none of us are ever strong enough in the end.  
  
Gojyo felt that he was rapidly sinking into a depression and tried to snap himself out of it. I need to go back. Goku's still alive, and I want to be there if he wakes up. Or if he...I have to see this through, for good or bad.  
  
He turned abruptly and began walking back to the inn when he felt a raindrop spatter on his face. More drops fell as he quickened his pace and it grew to a pouring cold rain as he neared the inn.  
  
A rainy night. Great. Sanzo and Hakkai are gonna go to pieces again. He groaned. Every time a little thundercloud hits they take long walks down Depressing Memory Lane.  
  
Unbidden, a memory of his own flashed in front of his eyes. A day in the jeep after a particularly bad night, Goku hanging over the seats to ask Sanzo "Why do you two hate the rain? Are you hiding something? C'mon, tell me!" A brief exchange of insults and threats. Goku's pouting face after being hit with the fan.  
  
If he died, life would change so much...  
  
He stared at the sheet of rain in front of him. He could see things reflected in the water drops. Goku's smiling face, and another image of his face twisted with pain and fever. Gojyo couldn't see the drops anymore, just the image of his young friend.  
  
Suddenly he realized why Hakkai and Sanzo actually hate the rain. Rain doesn't just remind them. It shows them the past.  
  
He turned to go inside the inn, and as he trudged up the stairs he heard shouting. Sounds like...Sanzo and Hakkai! He started leaping up the steps two at a time, wondering whether he'd find Goku alive or dead when he reached the top. If he was dead...  
  
Damn. I'll have a reason to hate the rain too.  
  
**************************  
  
  
  
  
  
Notes: I know, short, angsty, not a lot of substance...Just sort of a filler chapter. The next chapter will have action! Things start to happen! Yay! So don't give up on this as an endless random angst fic!  
  
Um, R/R, I guess...I'll put up the next chapter after my exam, so it's probably worth waiting.  
  
Next chapter: action! Stuff happens! Yay!  
  
The end approaches! 


	7. Part 7

Ugh...Headache...It is certain: the fanfic gods _do_ hate me...leave it to me to get sick right before the final I'm most worried about...It must be punishment for poisoning Goku...Bad karma...  
  
Anyway, it's time for some action! Yay! Actual stuff to happen! We're almost to the finish line, peeps, so bear with me!  
  
Random stuff to say...I didn't mean for Gojyo to sound like he cared more about humans than youkai, I just meant that youkai are usually insane and trying to kill him, while this guy was just broken up and grief-stricken. I do agree that human/youkai distinctions really don't matter to any of them. (Thanks yoong for pointing that out!) :)  
  
Another short chapter (sorry) but I hope y'all like it!  
  
  
  
**************  
  
Dokushu Part 7  
  
**************  
  
"Hold him down!!"  
  
"I'm trying, dammit! He's too strong!"  
  
"I can't heal him and hold him at the same time, Sanzo!"  
  
"So you're expecting me to hold down an insane youkai by myself?!"  
  
"If you don't he's going to-"  
  
"I can't hold him!! Quick -"  
  
Goku thrashed harder and threw Sanzo against the wall. The back of his head connected and he saw stars. Hakkai was still kneeling on the bed, trying to hold down the hysterical boy.  
  
"What's wrong with him, Hakkai?"  
  
"He's hallucinating, the fever's getting out of control-"  
  
The door flew open and Gojyo burst in. He gasped at the scene before him - Goku screaming and struggling while Hakkai tried desperately to keep him from hurting himself, or the others.  
  
"What's going on?! Hakkai -"  
  
"Gojyo! Get over here and help me hold him down!"  
  
"But what-"  
  
"Just do it!"  
  
Gojyo added his weight to Hakkai's and managed to subdue the fevered youkai. "Oi, Goku! Snap out of it! Goku!!"  
  
He caught sight of Goku's eyes and gasped. They were pools of fear and pain, with no sign of recognition or thought. No room for anything but the fever.  
  
Hakkai's hands were glowing with green light, but Goku was still gasping for breath and straining against Gojyo.  
  
"It's not working!"  
  
"Why not?!" demanded Sanzo.  
  
"I'm not strong enough. This needs more power than I've got!" Hakkai sat back and clenched his fist. His body was so tense that he shook. "We're going to lose him."  
  
"You have GOT to be shitting me!" Sanzo strode over Hakkai and grabbed two fistfuls of his shirt, shaking him. "There's no way we can lose him now!"  
  
"Sanzo, everyone has their limits. This is his." Hakkai looked sadder than Gojyo had ever seen him. "And mine."  
  
After a moment, Sanzo let go of Hakkai. The healer sagged back against the pillows, exhausted. Gojyo kept a tight hold on Goku, now the only one left to restrain him. But his hands were shaking. That's it then. No more hope. He's going to die.  
  
Sanzo tried to light a cigarette with trembling hands. He found emotions and memories he thought he'd buried resurfacing insistently. The death of his mentor...the moment he saw Shuuei - no, Rikudo - behind Goku...the way Goku was ready to kill for him...that annoying voice that drew him to the mountain... those wide innocent eyes peering up from under dirty matted hair... "I want something I don't have to protect"...  
  
He threw his cigarette to the floor in disgust. There's no way that idiot can die here. He's not this weak. I know there's gotta be something... Sanzo wracked his brain, trying to think of something, anything he could do... Hakkai's words were ringing a bell, but he couldn't quite identify why. "more power than I've got"..."everyone has his limits"...limits...limits...That's it!! The LIMITER!!  
  
"Hakkai! We need to take off Goku's youryoku limiter!"  
  
The brunette's head snapped up and his eyes widened. "The limiter?"  
  
"It's holding Goku's power down. If we remove it, he'll have enough power to recover on his own - his youkai healing powers will kick in."  
  
"But we don't know what it will do! It could react with the poison and kill him!" Hakkai protested.  
  
"Look at him. He's dying anyway. What have we got to lose?"  
  
Gojyo felt a surge of hope, but also worry. "What about afterwards? We'll have an insane Goku on our hands!"  
  
Sanzo gave him a glare. "We'll deal with that when the time comes."  
  
Gojyo nodded and grinned. I can fight him to the end, if that's what it takes to cure him!  
  
Hakkai sighed and acquiesced. "It's our best shot."  
  
Sanzo motioned Gojyo to move to the side so he could reach Goku's head. Grimacing as his hands touched the burning gold, Sanzo gently pulled the diadem off Goku's head.  
  
And the room exploded in light.  
  
******************************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Notes: Whoo hoo! Almost done! Just a little more left...  
  
So, what d'you think of the new developments? R/R, y'all! Do you guys think the trick with the limiter is a cop-out, or what?  
  
I know, I'm mean about cliffhangers, but I wanna keep you guys coming back!  
  
Next chapter: Does the trick with the limiter work? Does Goku go nuts?  
  
Welcome to the Wonderful World of "Tori just wrote herself into a corner and this is the lame excuse to get out of it!" (I had the idea at about the same time Sanzo did...*sweatdrop*)  
  
Ja ne! 


	8. Part 8

Ha ha! Finals are done! Whew. To celebrate my last day with a T3 connection *sniff*, here's the rest of Dokushu! Enjoy!  
  
  
  
**************  
  
Dokushu Part 8  
  
**************  
  
  
  
Sanzo and Gojyo were thrown off the bed and Hakkai stepped back shielding his eyes as Goku's transformation began. The boy screamed as his ears sharpened, his nails grew, and his hair swept down to his waist. The sheer power unleashed knocked the three to the floor.  
  
Then the light faded.  
  
Almost cautiously, they stood and looked back at the bed.  
  
Goku was sitting up, staring at his hands. Suddenly, he noticed the presence of the others, and snarled. He leapt into the corner of the room, and sat on all fours, glaring at them. The boy's face was still red with fever, but his condition seemed much improved.  
  
Gojyo took a step forward, and was rewarded with a low growl and a swipe of claws.  
  
"Whoa! What's his problem?"  
  
"Don't ask me," growled Sanzo.  
  
"It's just that he's usually psychotically homicidal. But he's not attacking us, he's just being defensive."  
  
Hakkai looked thoughtful. "Perhaps it's because he's sick. When animals are in pain, they don't attack, but they won't let anyone near them. Goku's current state is pretty close to that of a frightened, confused, and injured animal."  
  
The irony was not lost on Gojyo. "So he really is an ape after all?"  
  
"I wouldn't quite go that far..."  
  
"The question is, what do we do with him now." Sanzo said flatly.  
  
They observed their young youkai companion in silence. Goku had calmed down some, and was concentrating on something with his eyes closed.  
  
"Um, Sanzo? Whaddya think he's doing?"  
  
"Why are you asking me?"  
  
Suddenly, the flush disappeared from Goku's cheeks and his breathing settled down to normal. He stood up and glared at the others. His eyes held no trace of the fever.  
  
"I think he cured himself!" exclaimed Gojyo.  
  
"Amazing!" Hakkai grinned broadly. "It worked! Sanzo, the fever's broken!"  
  
Sanzo grunted. "It's about time. Stupid ape, worrying us over nothing."  
  
Hakkai's grin widened. "Sanzo, did you just admit you were worried about Goku?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Sighing in relief, Gojyo relaxed. He survived. He really is going to be all right! I didn't even hope for that much... He sat down heavily on the edge of the bed.  
  
Startled by the sudden movement Goku leapt back into the corner and took a fighting stance, snarling.  
  
"Whoa! Hold it there, didn't mean to scare you." Gojyo stood up and Goku moved further back and bared his teeth in warning. "Man, what's with him now?"  
  
Hakkai shrugged. "I have no idea. I think maybe he's too worn out to fight us, but he doesn't trust us enough to relax. Still, we can't leave him like this."  
  
They observed the youkai in silence for a moment. The entire time, Goku's eyes were locked on them suspiciously, and the slightest noise or movement made him jump.  
  
Finally, Gojyo leapt up and shouted, "I've got it!" and ran out of the room. Goku hissed and retreated further into the corner.  
  
After a few tense minutes, Gojyo returned with arms loaded with covered plates and baskets. He grinned at Sanzo and Hakkai and swept the papers off the table, setting down his burdens. He opened them, and a heavenly scent filled the room.  
  
"Food." Gojyo smirked. "The one thing that the ape can never resist."  
  
Goku perked up, looking at the table quizzically. Hakkai and Sanzo stepped quickly out of the way, and the young demon disappeared, reappearing an instant later sitting on all fours in one of the chairs. He leaned forward, smelled the food suspiciously, then started stuffing his face.  
  
Hakkai collapsed into another chair laughing. Sanzo just shook his head. Gojyo grinned in triumph.  
  
In the space of two minutes, Goku devoured every scrap of food on the entire table, which had held enough to feed a family of four for a week. Sighing contentedly, he sat back in his chair and observed the room with drowsy eyes. In another minute, he was fast asleep.  
  
The limiter in hand, Sanzo silently moved up behind the boy and slipped the golden band over his head. It settled into the groove in his hair where it had left an indent through years of wear. Between one blink and the next, Goku reverted back to his ordinary, little-boy form and continued sleeping soundly.  
  
With a growl that might have been a sigh, Sanzo picked him up and carried him over to the bed. Tucking him in gently, he shot a glare at Gojyo and Hakkai. The elder brunette took the hint and retreated to his own bed on the other side of the room. Gojyo smirked but took a chair, laying his head on the table, resting it on his arms.  
  
Sanzo sat down by the bed and lit a cigarette. He noted wryly that Goku was already snoring loudly and taking up all the available space in the bed. Didn't take him long to go back to being an annoyance. But for once, the irritation was almost welcome.  
  
Looking out the window, Sanzo could see the waning moon rise - it must be early morning, hours until sunrise. The sky was still dark and cloudy.  
  
But the rain had stopped falling.  
  
**************************************  
  
  
  
  
  
Notes: Whee! Over! Except for the epilogue…which I'm updating now. So yay, done!  
  
Um, about Goku's animalistic behavior, I haven't seen that much of Goku's true form, so I'm not all that clear on how he acts…But I figured, that no matter who or what he is, when you're sick and scared the last thing you're going to do is attack. Just look at tigers. :) Sorry if I'm off track.  
  
Anyway, R/R! I'm not doing author notes for the epilogue, so I'm just gonna say thanks! I hope you enjoyed it! I know I enjoyed writing it….Well, have a nice summer everyone! Ja ne! 


	9. Epilogue

****************  
  
Dokushu Epilogue  
  
*****************  
  
Two days later, they were on the road again.  
  
Things were pretty much back to normal. Goku and Gojyo were exchanging insults and fighting in Hakuryu's back seat. Sanzo was reloading his gun for the third time that morning. And Hakkai was in the driver's seat, just listening and smiling.  
  
Goku had completely recovered from his ordeal, both the poison itself and the later how-dare-you-make-us-worry beating from Gojyo and Sanzo. Now he was attempting to consume twice his body weight in box lunches to regain his lost energy. Fights occasionally broke out as Gojyo kept stealing bits to annoy him.  
  
"Stop it! That's _my_ food, you perverted kappa!"  
  
"Make me, stupid ape!"  
  
The awkwardness of the first day after Goku's recovery had vanished when it became apparent that the idiot couldn't remember anything after he passed out at dinner. Hakkai had barely been able to control his laughter at the tension radiating from Sanzo and Gojyo when they asked Goku, and he _hadn't_ been able to control it at the obvious relief on their faces when Goku denied all memory.  
  
Hakkai smiled to himself. He had a feeling that Goku's memory was not quite as bad as he let on; Goku definitely recalled parts of what had happened. The boy had caught Hakkai's eye while the elder youkai was laughing, and there was an unmistakable mischievous gleam. Still, as long as Sanzo and Gojyo believed that any acts of kindness or concern on their part had been consigned to oblivion, life could return to what passed as normal.  
  
"Shut up, red cockroack kappa! Ne, Sanzo, make Gojyo stop--"  
  
"I'll make you both die!"  
  
The Paper Fan made a brief but painful appearance.  
  
"Owww..."  
  
But Goku caught Hakkai's glance in the mirror, and gave him a cheeky grin and a wink.  
  
Oh, he remembered all right. And someday when Sanzo and Gojyo least expected, he was going to 'suddenly remember' a comforting hand or kind words and was going to make their lives an embarrassed hell.  
  
Hakkai winked back then turned to look at the road ahead. He briefly considered taunting the two, especially about things he _knew_ Goku hadn't seen. But while he was reasonable sure Sanzo wouldn't shoot him, he wasn't particularly eager to testit. He'd simply wait till Goku made his move, then step in as always to save the boy from the others' wrath.  
  
He let the din around him fade into the background and soon grew absorbed in his own contented thoughts. We came a little too close for comfort back there, but you know what they say, all's well that ends well. Gojyo and Sanzo were scared into showing their feelings. Goku knows but they can still keep up their tough-guy facades...for now, at least. We're all alive, mainly thanks to Goku, and we're back on our way west. There's really nothing more I could hope for...  
  
"Ne, Sanzo, I'm hungry!" "Eat the boxes! I'm sure they taste fine!" "Shut up, perverted kappa!" "Dumbass ape!" "Scarboy!"  
  
"SHUT UP!"  
  
...except maybe a little peace and quiet.  
  
~Owari~ 


End file.
